In-depth audience analysis of local chamber of commerce community profiles

¶ … Audience

Over the last several years, the issue of effective business communications has been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because the way an organization is able to communicate with stakeholders will have an impact on the underlying levels of economic growth. To determine the result of these strategies requires focusing on how the Chamber of Commerce is able to connect with different parties. This will be accomplished by looking at Carmel, Indiana with a particular emphasis on: the message, analyzing the community, providing recommendations to improve this image and rationalizing why this is better. Together, these elements will highlight how the Chamber of Commerce is connecting with stakeholders and what strategies must be utilized to improve the image of the community.

Illustrate the message's view of the audience and stakeholders based on the written profile.

The written profile is showing how the Chamber of Commerce is focused on reaching out to a variety of stakeholders. The most notable include: entrepreneurs, business professionals, families, parents, children, environmentalists and anyone who wants to have a better quality of life. A good example of this can be seen on Chamber's web site which says, "In the midst of Hamilton County, Forbes magazine's choice as the number one place in the nation to raise a family, Carmel continues to create and protect the community assets that attract great businesses and residents. As one of the fastest growing cities in Indiana, Carmel has a reputation for being a safe, family -- oriented city. One with exceptional high-achieving schools, a nationally-recognized public library, strong support for the arts and an appreciation for their role in creating and sustaining growth and excellence. The innovative use of more than 50 roundabouts to control traffic, rather than traditional intersections, has earned Carmel a national reputation. Construction is underway for Carmel City Center, a vibrant downtown neighborhood alive with a mix of residences, shopping, arts and entertainment, office space and culture. The new area will include the Regional Performing Arts Center, which includes The Palladium concert hall and multiple theaters and is home to the Feinstein Foundation for the Education and Preservation of the Great American Songbook. Carmel's future is brighter than ever, thanks to the investment of the city's growing number of successful businesses, community involvement and visionary planning." This is showing how the Chamber's message is to offer something for everyone. ("Welcome to Carmel," 2012)

Create your own analysis of the community stakeholders and audience using the demographics, geographics, psychographics, sociographics, usergraphics and webographics described in this chapter.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Carmel has been experiencing a growth rate of 50% since 2000. This is because the community is known for being very business friendly with low property tax rates. At the same time, the city has the reputation for high achievement scores in education and the safe atmosphere is ideal for many individuals. The combination of these factors has resulted in a wide variety of ethnic groups choosing to relocate to the community. ("2010 Demographic Profile," 2010)

Evidence of this can be seen in the below table which is showing the racial demographics of the community.

Population Demographic of Carmel, Indiana

Demographic

Percentage

White

85.4%

Black

3.0%

Asian

8.9%

Two or More Races

1.8%

This is illustrating how the population shifts are from: the economy, quality of life and environmental benefits offered by the community. ("2010 Demographic Profile," 2010)

Give two recommendations that would improve the message, based on audience analysis.